


Everyone Needs a Friend

by Richonnesmints



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Mentions of Andre, Mentions of Duane, Mentions of Jenny, Morgan and Michonne bonding, Richonne - Freeform, Rick's sick, runs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-23
Updated: 2017-11-23
Packaged: 2019-02-06 00:02:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12805254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Richonnesmints/pseuds/Richonnesmints
Summary: Rick is sick so he can't go on a run with Michonne and Morgan. During that run, they find things out about each other and they talk about it all. And maybe they become friends too.





	Everyone Needs a Friend

**Author's Note:**

> NOTE: I just thought I should clarify that I don't ship Michonne and Morgan. This is just a friend concept I came up with.
> 
> This is also the first time I've written Morgan, so I was a little nervous about that, but by the end, I think I did okay.
> 
> But anyway, this is for Kylie. I really really hope you like this.

Michonne put her backpack in the backseat of the car and shut the door. She and Morgan were getting ready to go on a run to find supplies.

“I'll be ready to leave in a few minutes,” she announced to Morgan, who was already in the driver’s seat. He nodded.

“Hey,” she heard someone say from behind her.

She already knew who it was: Rick. 

“What are you doing out of bed?” Michonne questioned as she made her way over to him.

Rick had woke up that with the worst cold he ever had. He was coughing, his nose was running and his throat was on fire. His temperature was running a little high and he barely had a voice.

He was supposed to go on the run too, but of course the damn cold got in the way of that.

“I had to come say goodbye to you,” Rick told her.

Michonne smiled a little. “I already told you goodbye, remember?”

She had gave him an extra blanket before hugging the kids and leaving the house.

Rick nodded and looked at the ground for a second before he directed his attention back to her.

“Are you sure you don't need me to come along?” Rick whispered. He knew asking was useless, but he had to try.

Michonne eyes widened. “Rick, you can't come. You can’t even talk. You need to stay here and get better.”

“But-” Rick started to talk but he started to violently cough. Michonne put her hand on his back and rubbed. After about ten seconds, he finally stopped coughing.

“Damn cold,” Rick complained.

“Are you okay?” Michonne asked in a worried tone.

“Yeah,” he told her.

“See, Rick? You can't go. You look terrible and I know you feel that way too. We’re not going too far out… only about twenty miles. We’ll be back today.”

Rick let out a small sigh. He hated that he couldn't go because he knew he was just going to worry about her the whole time she was gone.

“I'll be careful,” she told him. “If something looks too bad, we won't go near it.”

Rick did his best to smile a little. It was like she read his mind because he was about to tell her exactly what she had just told him.

Michonne put her hand on his forehead to see how hot he felt.

“You're still pretty warm,” she told him as she ruffled around his curls.

Rick just stared into her eyes and they stayed like that for a minute before Michonne spoke.

“I need to go. Everything will be fine and I'll be back later. Go home and go to sleep, okay?”

I'll try,” he told her. He honestly didn't know how he'd get any sleep when he’d be safe at home not knowing how safe Michonne was.

“Thank you,” she said with a smile. She moved in to kiss him but Rick backed away.

“I don't want to get you sick,” he whispered. 

“Rick, I'm probably going to end up getting sick anyway.”

“I hope not. I don't want you feeling like this.”

“So, I can't kiss you?” Michonne asked. She couldn't believe those words had left her mouth. 

“I'd rather you not.” 

Rick hated that he had to turn down a kiss from her. 

She let out a sigh before she moved his hair out of the way and kissed his forehead two times.

She looked at him and smiled. “It's okay. We’ll make up for it later when you're better.”

Before Rick could come back with a flirty comment, he began to cough again.

“Okay, you need to go home and get rest. Now,” she told him after she was finished.

“Can you make it home by yourself?” She asked him. “I can walk with you to make sure you get there.”

“You don't have to that. See you later,” he said before he began to walk away.

“See you later.”

“And Rick?” Michonne shouted.

He turned around to see what she wanted.

“If I come home and find out you haven't been resting, you're going to be in a lot of trouble, Mr. Grimes.”

Michonne saw Rick smile, shake his head, and give her a thumbs up before he continued to walk up the street. 

She made her way over to the car and opened the door. She glanced at Rick one last time before she got in. 

…..later…..

Morgan and Michonne hit a few neighborhoods and searched through some of the houses. They found quite a bit of stuff they needed: clothes, food, medicine, and surprisingly, they even found a few guns and bullets. 

Overall, there weren't too many walkers so the run had been pretty simple so far. Morgan and Michonne didn't talk too much. He was always quiet and Michonne didn't want to push him to talk. Besides, the silence didn't really bother Michonne. 

At the last house they planned to search, Michonne found three bag of cough drops.

Finding the cough drops and medicine has pretty much made Michonne’s day. All of it would help Rick get better and that made Michonne happy. She couldn't stand to see him sick. If she could've, she would've took everything away so he'd feel better.

“Are you ready?” Michonne heard Morgan say loud behind her. She was sure he had repeated the question because he hadn’t spoken that loud the whole run. 

She hadn’t heard him because she was thinking about Rick. He was always on her mind when they weren't together. She worried about him a lot. 

“Yeah,” she told him as she turned around. 

They put the stuff in the trunk.

“I can drive,” Michonne offered before Morgan got a chance to get into the driver’s side.

He handed her the keys and they both got into the car. 

…..later…..

They were only a few miles away from Alexandria when Michonne stopped the car and backed up a little. They were in front of a gas station. They had passed that one earlier but Michonne had noticed something different.

Morgan directed his attention from the window to Michonne to find out what was going on.

“I didn’t notice this earlier, but there’s a garage in the back. I think we should get out and see if we can find anything,” Michonne said.

“It’s gonna get dark soon,” Morgan told her.

“Yeah, but we’re really close to home. We should be finished before then.”

Morgan nodded, agreeing with her. She pulled in the parking lot and they both got out. They walked into the gas station to look around. After about ten minutes, they met up in the back of the store.

“Did you find anything?” Morgan asked.

Michonne held up a few water bottles, two bags of chips and three cans of fruit. “It's not a lot, but it's better than nothing. What did you find?”

“Less than you did,” Morgan told her. He grabbed something out of his pocket and held it up so she could see. “I did find this candy bar under a shelf in the floor… but I'm not sharing with you.”

Morgan quickly put it back in his pocket and looked at her again. 

Michonne was confused by what he said. “Okay?” Michonne stated in the form of a question.

“You did steal my protein bar,” Morgan told her.

“I-” Michonne began to speak, but he interrupted her.

“Rick told me you did.” 

She knew Morgan was telling the truth because he had the most serious look on his face. 

“Of course he told you.”

At first, she shook her head and then she had to stop herself from smiling. A small part of her couldn’t believe he had actually told him, but the rest of her thought it was funny.

Michonne shrugged. “It was really good.”

She knew she sounded like a smart ass, but she really wasn't lying. It was good.

“They were,” Morgan quietly agreed. 

Morgan walked out of the gas station and went to a garage behind it. Michonne followed him.

The both opened the door of the garage and a walker came out. It knocked Morgan down and almost bit him until Michonne came to the rescue, slicing the walker’s head off.

“Are you okay?” Michonne asked him as he got up.

“I'm fine,” he told her.

Michonne looked down at the ground and saw a picture. She knew it fell out during the struggle with the walker. She could see Morgan, a child, and a woman. 

Morgan directed his attention to what Michonne was looking at and he grabbed the picture and put it back in his pocket.

He turned away from Michonne and looked at the ground. Rick had told her a few stories so she knew he had a wife… and a son, but she didn't know what to say. She didn't want to bring back bad memories. Michonne knew what it was like to lose a son, so she knew a little bit about what Morgan went through.

“Did you see everything?” Morgan asked, referring to the picture, after a very long moment of silence. 

“Yeah,” she answered. 

“You don't need to say sorry. I know you are. Everyone is.” 

Morgan quickly walked back into the gas station and Michonne decided to give him space. She stayed in the garage and looked around for a few minutes. 

All she found was a few car batteries and a couple of bottles of antifreeze. Michonne went ahead and took it all to the car.

When she finally walked back into the gas station, she found Morgan sitting on the counter staring at the picture. He didn't realize she was there, so Michonne “accidentally” kicked an empty can to let him know she was inside. Morgan put the picture back in his pocket and looked down at his hands.

“I know you told me not to say sorry and I know that it won't bring them back, but I really am sorry,” Michonne told him. 

He didn't look at her and she didn't know what he was thinking, but she decided to go on.

“It’s hard. I know what it's like.”

Morgan looked up and shook his head. “You don't.”

“I do.”

“You don’t!” Morgan repeated, but this time he yelled. He got off the counter and started to walk away until Michonne said something that made him freeze.

“I had a son,” she almost shouted. She was really surprised at herself for saying that. It had just came out. She could feel the tears coming but she quickly wiped her eyes. She wouldn't cry. She just wouldn't. “I do know what it's like to lose a child. I know how hard it can be and how it makes you feel… empty, broken.”

Morgan’s back still faced Michonne.

“How old was he?”

“Three.”

She was glad he wasn't facing her. As soon as she answered the question, she closed her eyes. Images of Andre flashed through her head.

She wouldn't cry.

“Does Rick know?”

She opened her eyes. She was a little confused by the question, but she decided to answer it anyway.

“Yes.”

Morgan finally turned around to face her.

“I'm sorry about your son.”

Michonne became confused. “Why don't you like anyone to say sorry to you?”

“I don't need people to feel sorry for me. I don't need friends. I don't need anyone,” Morgan told her.

As Michonne looked at Morgan, she saw someone who was lonely, broken, and just needed someone to talk to. She knew because she had felt like that before and she knew exactly what it looked like. Would Morgan ever admit how he felt to people? Probably not. She knew that answer, because at one time, she wouldn't admit anything either.

But Michonne was going to try her best to talk to him…. to get him to talk to her. She knew that was one of the things he really needed.

“See, that's where you're wrong,” Michonne told him. 

“I’m not wrong,” Morgan said with confidence.

“You're wrong,” she repeated. Everyone needs a friend.”

Morgan just looked at her and didn't say a word.

“It’s important to have them…. to have at least one. They're all anyone has left now. I could be your friend,” she offered.

“I can't,” Morgan said.

“You can't what?” Michonne asked.

“I can't have friends… not anymore. One day someone is here and the next, they're gone.”

Michonne knew exactly what he was thinking. He distanced himself from everyone because he didn't want to get close to anyone. He didn't want to lose someone he cared about ever again.

“I get it. You're scared.”

His expression changed for a split second and it was written all over his face. He really was scared. But then his expression hardened and he composed himself. 

“I'm not scared,” Morgan said.

“But you are. I am. Rick is. Everyone is, but we all try to be positive about everything.”

That same sad expression came back for another second.

“We need to leave,” Morgan said, trying to change the subject. 

“I can be your friend,” Michonne offered again.

“No!” Morgan shouted. “I can't. It’s too hard. It's not like I'll ever be able to talk about…” he trailed off.

“Duane! Jenny!” He shouted two names.

Michonne knew Duane was his son, so she assumed Jenny was his wife.

“I wake up every morning, and for a few minutes, everything seems fine. I think that Jenny is gonna yell and say breakfast’s ready and Duane’s gonna come in and tell me good morning. But then I remember. I don't have that life anymore. I don't have them. Hell, I'm not even that man.”

Morgan didn't even stop to look at Michonne. He just kept going. 

“My wife and son… I let them down. I couldn't even protect them like I promised. I couldn't even reach Rick on the damn walkie talkie. I let everyone down all the time. So, why the hell would you even want to be my friend? I'd let you down too.”

Morgan was out of breath and tears began to stream down his face. He quickly wiped them away and turned around so he wasn't facing Michonne.

He didn't know why he was saying everything that came to his mind. He had kept all of that hidden in the back of his mind for a very long time. He hadn't told a soul…. until then.

Morgan tried to figure out what it all meant. He was confident that Michonne wasn't trying to make him feel worse, but she wasn't sure what her intentions were either. He had a hard time believing that she just wanted to be his friend.

But then again, he had a hard time believing anyone's intentions. No one could really trust anyone anymore.

But it was Michonne, who knew exactly how he felt. She claimed she wanted to help him, so maybe that's what she was really trying to do. 

Maybe she really did want to be the person to help and talk to him.

Michonne looked out the window and it was completely dark. They should've been home by then, but she didn't say a word about leaving. She just stood there and looked at the ground, waiting for Morgan to say something.

He had opened up to her and she was glad he did, but she also hoped he realized that she was doing what she was doing because she cared.

“Morgan?” She said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I want you to know I'm not doing any of this to hurt you. I just want to talk. That's all. I'd never want anyone to feel the way I felt before when I lost my son. I'd never wish that on anyone.”

Morgan’s thoughts spun around his mind like tornado. She had just confirmed everything he was questioning.

He didn't speak to her for a few minutes, but when he did, he decided to ask Michonne about her son.

“What was your son’s name?”

Michonne jumped a little when he spoke. They had both been silent for what felt like hours.

She cleared her throat before she answered the question. “Andre Anthony.”

“Did it happen before or after?”

Michonne closed her eyes. “It happened after.”

And that was all Morgan needed to know. He didn't want to find out the specifics because he already knew what happened to her son. 

“We should get back,” Morgan said.

“Yeah,” Michonne agreed.

She walked over and handed the keys over to Morgan so he could drive.

They both got in the car and Morgan began to laugh a little.

Michonne just stared at him in confusion.

“Duane… every time we used to get into the car, we’d have to go to the toy store. Every single time.”

Morgan wasn't sure where that came from either. He was confused by it all, but he did feel a little better when he opened up to Michonne.

Michonne began to smile. “Andre used to do the same thing, except after the toy store, I’d have to take him for ice cream.”

Morgan looked ahead. “I don't know about Heaven, but maybe Duane and Andre are together somewhere.”

“I hope so. Andre always loved to make new friends.”

“Duane did too.”

Morgan grabbed the candy bar out of his pocket and opened it up. He split it in two and held a piece out to Michonne.

Michonne shook her head. “I did steal that protein bar. It's only fair that you take it all.”

“Take it,” he urged. “Isn't sharing what friends are supposed to do?”

Michonne smiled. “Yes.”

She grabbed the piece of candy bar and began to eat. 

She liked the fact that he said “friends”. 

Morgan finished his half of the candy bar before he started the car and drove back to Alexandria.

When they got back, Tara let them in. Michonne was so glad to be back home.

“I'll take care of all of this stuff in the car. You can go ahead and go home,” Morgan told her.

Michonne grabbed the medicine, cough drops, and her backpack. She smiled at Morgan and thanked him before walking home.

She walked into the house. Carl was sitting on the couch with an opened comic book resting on his lap.

“Hey,” Carl said as he looked up at her. “Did everything go okay?”

“It did,” Michonne said with a smile.

“There’s some spaghetti in there. Eric and Aaron brought some over… and they bought over medicine for dad.”

“How is he?”

“I think he still feels pretty bad but he's been sleeping most of the day. He got up to eat a little and take some medicine.”

“And Judith?” Michonne asked.

“She's asleep. She ate dinner and then I changed her and read her a bedtime story.”

“Did you eat?”

Carl began to smile. Michonne was asking a million questions as soon as she walked in. It was such a mom thing but Carl didn't mind any of it at all. 

“Yep,” he told her. “Do you want me to put some food in a plate for you?”

Michonne smiled but shook her head. “I might get something later. I want to check on your dad first.”

She started to walk away and turned back to Carl. “Thank you for watching over things and your dad today. You did good.”

“It was no problem.”

Michonne smiled. Carl had grown up a lot and he was so responsible. She was so proud of him.

She made her way up to Judith’s room to check on her and she was sound asleep in her crib. Michonne kissed her head before leaving the room.

She walked down the hall and the door was shut to their room. She quietly opened it and it was completely dark. Michonne squinted her eyes to try to adjust to the darkness.

“Michonne?” She heard Rick whisper.

“Did I wake you?” She asked as she sat the cough drops and medicine on the table beside the bed.

“No, I've been up for a few minutes. Did everything go okay?

“Yes. How are you feeling?” 

“Better now that you're back,” Rick answered honestly. He was so glad that everything went fine. He was so happy that she was home.

Michonne smiled and put her hand on his forehead. “You don't feel too hot anymore.”

“Aaron and Eric brought over some medicine,” he told her.

“I know, Carl told me.”

“Did you eat?” 

“I will later,” she told him.

“Make sure you do.”

“I will. I just want to be with you right now.”

Rick started to sit up and he groaned.

Michonne rushed over to him. “Take it easy.”

Of course he didn't listen. He sat all the way up. Rick grabbed her hand and kissed the top of it. After that, he pulled her closer and planted a few kisses up her arm.

“I'm glad you're back,” he whispered.

“Me too.”

Michonne ran her hands through his hair. Her hands moved down to his neck and shoulders and she began to lightly massage them.

“Is it okay if I do this?” Michonne asked. She didn't want to make him any more uncomfortable than he already was.

She felt Rick’s head move against her arm. He nodded.

She massaged him for a few minutes until she realized he had fallen asleep sitting straight up. Michonne hated to wake him up but they both couldn't stay like that all night. 

“Rick?” Michonne whispered.

“Huh?” He groaned.

“Lie down, so you'll be more comfortable.”

Rick laid back on the bed and pulled up the covers.

Michonne threw her backpack. She changed into one of Rick’s old shirts and took off her pants before she laid down beside him.

“Come here,” she whispered as she pulled him closer.

“You'll get sick,” he told her.

“I don't care,” Michonne told him. She truly didn't. All she cared about in that moment was holding him in her arms.

“But-”

“We’ll talk later, but right now you need to sleep.”

Rick finally gave up and rested his head on her chest.

A few minutes passed by and Michonne was sure he was asleep until he spoke.

“I'm not in trouble, am I? I stayed in bed all day.”

“I'm glad you stayed in bed, but you're still in trouble.”

Rick coughed a little. “Why?”

“You told Morgan I stole his protein bar, so you're in big trouble, but you won't have to worry about it until you're completely better.” Michonne needed him to know she was joking so she said it in a flirty way.

“That sounds fun. I should get in trouble a lot more,” Rick said. 

Before Michonne could up with something to say, she heard Rick snoring.

She shook her head and began to smile. They'd definitely have to finish that conversation later.

Even though Rick was sick, she was glad he was actually getting some sleep. He hardly ever slept, and if he did, it was only for a couple of hours at a time. Everything seemed to haunt him at night and he could never sleep. 

“Sweet dreams,” Michonne whispered. She closed her eyes to try to get some sleep too.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope all of you liked this. Thank you so much for reading!!


End file.
